Shloka 7

Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)

Devanagari script

प्रासादानां बहूनां च काउचनानां महामुने । मणिदविद्रुपादानां पर्यड्काणां च दर्शनम्‌

Transliteration

prāsādānāṁ bahūnāṁ ca kāñcanānāṁ mahāmune | maṇi-vaidūrya-pādānāṁ paryaṅkāṇāṁ ca darśanam ||

Translation

Kuśika berkata: “Wahai resi agung, tampaklah banyak istana keemasan; dan juga dipan-dipan yang kakinya bertatah permata serta vaidūrya (batu mata kucing).”

Word by Word

• प्रासादानाम्: of palaces
• प्रासादानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• बहूनाम्: of many
• बहूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• काञ्चनानाम्: of golden (ones)
• काञ्चनानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्चन
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महामुने: O great sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मणि: of gems
• मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दविद्रुपादानाम्: of Davidrupa (a class/name; uncertain reading)
• दविद्रुपादानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दविद्रुपाद
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पर्यङ्काणाम्: of couches/beds
• पर्यङ्काणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्यङ्क
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दर्शनम्: the sight/seeing
• दर्शनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

कुशिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kushika
• Mahāmune (the addressed great sage)
• prāsāda (palaces)
• kāñcana (gold/golden objects)
• maṇi (gems)
• vaidūrya (vaidūrya gem)
• paryaṅka (couches/beds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds opulence—golden palaces and gem-studded couches—as a narrative image often used in dharma literature to test discernment: external splendor can attract the mind, but ethical clarity requires seeing such wealth as impermanent and not inherently virtuous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kushika describes what was seen: numerous golden palaces and luxurious couches with gem and vaidūrya-set legs, addressing a great sage. The line functions as a vivid inventory of royal luxury within the ongoing discourse of Anuśāsana on conduct and values.